Moorespeed is set for its IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge debut this weekend at VIRginia International Raceway with co-drivers Rob Ferriol and Spencer Pumpelly behind the wheel of the No. 18 Moorespeed/GridRival Audi R8 LMS GT4.
The week’s practice and qualifying sessions set the Moorespeed team up for a Saturday afternoon, August 24, race in the two-hour VIR 120 at 2:15 p.m. EDT. The race will be streamed live on IMSA.tv from the southern Virginia 3.27-mile road course and broadcast on the NBC Sports Network on Friday, August 30 at 10 p.m. EDT.
Moorespeed’s return to competition in an Audi R8 in the top-tier Michelin Pilot Challenge Grand Sport (GS) class comes complete with a nearly identical team of engineers, mechanics and crew members that worked on the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship GT Daytona (GTD) No. 19 Moorespeed/CAG Audi R8 LMS GT3 earlier in the season.
“We’re really looking forward to getting to VIR with this Audi R8 LMS GT4,” Moorespeed President David Moore said. “Our guys at Moorespeed really love the endurance racing format and the unique challenges it brings. They’re a really tight-knit group and enjoy the teamwork necessary in these longer races. The GS class is filled with a lot of really great, professional teams. By no means do we think we’re going to be able to have it easy, but we are really looking forward to pushing ourselves. We are confident in how we will stack up right out of the box.”
The familiarity with Audi Sport customer racing was a significant factor in determining how Ferriol, who also drives for Moorespeed in the IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama, would make his Michelin Pilot Challenge debut.
“We didn’t choose to run the Audi just because of our established relationship with Audi Sport customer racing,” Moore said. “But when you look at the competitiveness of the car in the GS class, and then factor in how helpful they’ve been for us this season, it was clear that this was the package for us this weekend. We’re obviously familiar with Rob and Spencer, and we’ll hit the ground running for the promoter test day on Thursday.”
Ferriol sits second in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Gold Cup standings and is coming off of a win his last weekend out at Road America. His GS debut comes at VIR, where he saw his first race as a fan, drove a track day for the first time, and made only other Pilot Challenge start a year ago in the TCR class. Just a two-hour, 30-minute drive from his Fayetteville, North Carolina home to VIR, Ferriol will have a busy weekend that will also include a doubleheader in the No. 5 Moorespeed/GridRival Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.
“I’ve got a great support structure around me with Moorespeed, so they’ll be critical in getting me up to speed as quickly as possible,” Ferriol said. “From there, I plan to put my best driving foot forward and make sure we’ve got a good car in a good position when I hand off to Spencer. And of course, I plan to have fun!”
Pumpelly is the 2016 Pilot Challenge Street Tuner (ST) champion and Ferriol’s driver coach. That relationship grows to co-driver for the first time this weekend.
“Rob has come a long way in his driving,” Pumpelly said. “To watch him develop as a driver over the last season and a half has been a lot of fun to be a part of. The Moorespeed guys know these cars well and they’re very experienced in race craft. The people here are really good at getting the best out of each other. I’m looking forward to getting in the Audi and getting Rob up to speed and I think we’re really going to enjoy the run.”
Moorespeed will take advantage of a Thursday test day at Virginia International Raceway before the weekend officially gets underway Friday, August 23. The Michelin Pilot Challenge field will have two hours of Friday practice over three separate sessions before qualifying at 7:35 p.m. EDT on Friday evening. The two-hour VIR 120 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race takes the green flag at 2:15 p.m. EDT on Saturday afternoon and will be shown live on IMSA.tv.
